Reusable Gift Wrap

ABSTRACT

A reusable gift wrap adapted to envelop a rectangular package. The gift wrap is made of durable material to allow multiple uses. The gift wrap is shaped in an approximate cruciform with each branch of the cruciform being a folding flap that is adapted to temporarily attach to the opposite folding flap to completely envelop the package.

I. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to reusable fabric gift package wrap.

II. DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART

Gift wrap is commonly used with exchange of gifts to temporarily concealthe identity of the gift from the recipient. Conventional gift wrap ismade of disposable paper that is only used one time and is sold insheets requiring the purchaser to determine the appropriate shape to fitthe desired package.

Reusable gift packaging exists but does not solve the problems solved bythe present invention. Specifically, the existing reusable gift wraprequires extra processes in manufacturing to prevent fraying of thematerial and extra processes in manufacturing to create a shape adaptedfor use with packages. Existing reusable gift wrap, e.g., U.S. Pat. No.5004,144, is not designed in a manner to sufficiently conceal thepackage, making it ineffective for the primary purpose of gift wrap.Other existing reusable gift wrap, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,904,289, is notspecifically shaped to minimize material usage and closely approximatethe appearance of a traditionally disposable paper-wrapped package.

III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide for an attractiveand easy to use gift wrap that has the added benefits of beingrecyclable, reducing waste, being easy to store and transport, beinginexpensive, and designed to mimic the appearance of traditional paperwrap.

IV. DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of the preferred embodiment in its closed state in useto envelop a package.

FIG. 2 is a view of the preferred embodiment in its open statedisplaying the side opposite the package.

FIG. 3 is a view of the preferred embodiment in its open statedisplaying the side adjacent to the package.

V. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is a reusable fabric gift wrap made from anexpanse of fabric having an approximately cruciform shape with oppositefolding flaps outwardly directed from the center of the expanse ofmaterial.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the state of the gift wrap as it envelops apackage is its closed state. The expanse of material is adapted to wrapa gift or package shaped as a rectangular prism. The expanse of materialis made from a non-woven material such as polypropylene that resistsstretching and tearing and does not risk unsightly fraying. The materialis made from a single expanse of fabric, making it seamless. Thisseamless design makes the gift wrap more closely approximate theappearance of standard paper wrap when the gift wrap is in its closedstate.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the state of the gift wrap as it lies flat isits open state. The folding flaps 10 12, 14, and 16 are arranged inorthogonally opposite directions from each other while the gift wrap isin its open state. Folding flaps 10 and 16 have securing devices 18 and20 for securing the fabric to the opposite folding flap while in itsclosed state. The securing devices 18 and 20 are affixed to the foldingflaps 10 and 16 as described later. The securing devices are arrangednear the periphery of the folding flaps to minimize the amount ofmaterial not held taut when securing the gift wrap in the closed state.These securing devices 18 and 20 can be made of, for example. VELCRO® ora similar interlocking hook and loop fastener system, or reusableself-adhesive material, arranged such that the securing device on onefolding flap will mate with a securing device on the opposite flap. Theintersections of the outwardly folding flaps have tabs 22 arranged suchthat when folded, the tabs cover any gap that otherwise would be exposedon the corner of the package when the gift wrap is in its closed state.

The VELCRO® or hook and loop fastener system if used as a securingdevice comprises a first type of fastening strips with a plurality offlexible hooks and a second type of fastening strips with to pluralityof looped material adapted for receiving the flexible hooks uponcontact. The first type and the second type of fastening strips releasefrom each other with the application of light force on one fasteningstrip away from the other fastening strip. Other self-adhesive materialthat could be used includes silicone gel sheets. These silicone gelsheets can be placed on one or two of each pair of flaps, and arrangedto allow adhesion onto the opposite folding flap when the gift wrap isin its closed state. The securing devices are attached to the fabricmaterial in any manner that would not fail when subject to loadingnecessary to disengage the securing device from the opposite flap. Thisincludes stitching or any appropriately strong bonding agent.

The gift wrap material 24 can comprise recyclable polypropylene, amaterial frequently used, for instance, in reusable grocery bags. Theuse of this material has the advantage of being readily available,durable, inexpensive and capable of receiving printing appropriate fordifferent holidays or celebrations. The material is not woven andconsequently will not unwind or fray upon multiple uses. In oneembodiment of the gift wrap, the material is synthetic and stain andwater resistant, allowing for multiple uses without degrading theappearance of the material. The material is foldable into a thin compactpackage to allow for easy storage and transportation and allow forminimal usage of shelving space at sales outlets.

The shape of the preferred embodiment can he cut from a larger sheet ofmaterial according to the drawing. The expanse is approximatelycruciform. The approximate cruciform shape can be cut from larger sheetsand require no further stitching, or assembly to create the shapeadapted for receiving a package. By using a single expanse, nomanufacture process is needed to create the final shape of theinvention. This reduces cost in manufacture and creates a moreaesthetically pleasing product with no seams. Two of the four foldingflaps 12 and 16 can be pentagonal to more closely approximate theappearance of traditional paper wrapping when placed in its closedstate. At the intersection of each branch of the cruciform is arectangular tab 22 with a height approximately equal to the height ofthe package to be wrapped, and a width of a small dimension determinedby convenience of the manufacturer. Each rectangular tab is arrangedsuch that in the closed state, the tabs 22 cover what would otherwise bea small gap between the folded flaps visually exposing the package.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, the material is permanently creased inlocations on the folding flaps to align with edges of the package thegift wrap is designed to receive, indicated by the dotted lines 26 and28. In the preferred embodiment, four of the creases 26 form a rectanglesized to fit one face of the package. Four of the creases 28 arearranged such that, when transitioning the gift wrap from its open stateto its closed state, the creases 28 align with the edges of the face ofthe package opposite of the face initially contacting the gift wrap. Inthis manner, the gift wrap readily transforms from its open, flat stateto a closed, rectangular prism state, enveloping the package. Thecreases 26 and 28 have the second purpose of allowing the material to befolded flat to a state that minimizes size for purposes of transport andstorage. The side of the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 alsoshows to securing devices 30 and 32. These securing devices 30 and 32are secured to the material in a similar manner as securing devices 18and 20 in a location that contacts securing devices 18 and 20 when thematerial is in its closed state in a manner that holds the gift wrap inplace.

The gill wrap can be offered for sale in different dimensions to allowfor use with different size boxes. It is preferably offered with aribbon adapted to fit around the gift wrap while in its folded state,with the ribbon having VELCRO® or similar interlocking hook and loopfastener on its ends or other self-adhesive material adapted tointerconnect around the gift wrap in its closed state. For convenience,it can also be offered with the boxes for which it is adapted toenvelop.

To use the gift wrap, the package is placed in the center of thematerial in its open state, with the portion of the package contactingthe portion of the gift wrap bounded by creases 26 such that the creases26 and the edges of the package align. In this arrangement, this portionof the box contacting the gift wrap is the bottom face. Each pair offolding flaps is raised such that each flap contacts the exterior of theside faces of the package, with four creases 26 aligning with the edgesof the bottom face of the package. The rectangular tabs 22 cover thegaps between adjacent flaps and are placed between the folding flaps 12and 16 and the package. The other four creases 28 are aligned with thetop face of the package. The flaps are folded onto the top Pace of thepackage such that the securing device 18 engages with securing device 30and securing device 20 engages with securing device 32. To open IS thegift wrap, the user disengages the securing device 18 from securingdevice 30 and securing device 20 from securing device 32 and returns thematerial toward its open state. A separate package of the samedimensions can be used in a similar manner in a future use of thematerial, making the gift wrap reusable.

1. An article for covering packages comprising an expanse of seamlessnon-woven substantially non-stretchable material pre-cut into acruciform shape wherein when said material is unfolded, said material isadapted to receive a package, and said cruciform shape containing afirst flap, second flap, third flap, and fourth flap, said first flapoutwardly directed from said third flap and said second flap outwardlydirected from said fourth flap, said flaps defined by a permanentcreases arranged to align with the external edges of a package to becovered, said expanse further having fastening means secured to each ofsaid flaps disposed such that when said flaps are folded along saidcreases, said fastening means of said first flap can be engaged withsaid fastening means of said third flap, and said fastening means ofsaid second flap can be engaged with said fastening means of said fourthflap, enveloping a package.
 2. The article of claim 1 wherein saidexpanse is further pre-cut to include a first tab, a second tab, a thirdtab and a fourth tab; said first tab, said second tab, said third tab isand said fourth tab each having a width approximately equal to theheight of the package to be covered; said first tab and said third tabextending from said first flap and said second tab and said fourth tabextending from said third flap such that when said flaps am folded alongsaid creases, said first tab, said second tab, said third tab and saidfourth tab cover exposed edges of a package to be covered between saidflaps.
 3. The article of claim 1 wherein said second flap is angled to afirst point and said fourth flap is angled to a second point such thatwhen said flaps are folded along said creases said first point and saidsecond point overlap; and said fastening means on said second flap isattached near said first point and said fastening means on said fourthflap is attached near said second point such that a relatively smallamount of fabric extends beyond said fastening means.
 4. The article ofclaim 2 wherein said fastening means is reusable hook and loop fastener.5. The article of claim 2 wherein said fastening means is silicone gelsheets.
 6. An article for covering a package consisting of a singleexpanse of fabric adapted to wrap an package of a selected size withoutthe removal, of any portion of the sheet and without any substantialexcess fabric, said expanse comprising: a generally rectangular shapehaving dimensions equal to the bottom of the package to be wrapped; afirst flap, a second flap, a third flap, and a fourth flap extendingoutwardly from said rectangular shape, said first flap opposite of saidthird flap, said second flap opposite of said fourth flap, said flaps ofdimensions sufficient to wrap around the package with opposite flapsoverlapping for a relatively short distance; a first tab and a secondtab extending outwardly from said first flap and a third tab and fourthtab extending outwardly from said third flap, said tabs of a width equalto the height of the package to be wrapped and arranged such that whensaid expanse of fabric is wrapped around a package, said tabs cover thegaps between said flaps.
 7. The article of claim 6 further comprising afirst fastening means attached to said first flap to fasten said firstflap to said third flap, and a second fastening means attached to saidsecond flap to fasten said second flap to said fourth flap, arrangedsuch that a relatively short amount of fabric on each said flap extendsbeyond said first and second fastening means.
 8. The article of claim 7wherein said first fastening means and said second fastening means arereusable hook and loop fasteners or silicone gel sheets.
 9. The articleof claim 8 wherein said expanse of fabric is made of nonwoven recyclablepolypropylene.
 10. The article of claim 9 wherein said second flap andsaid fourth flap are each tapered to a point distant from said generallyrectangular shape such that when said article is folded to wrap saidpackage, said point on said second flap overlaps said point on saidfourth flap at a relatively minimal distance.
 11. The article of claim10 wherein said third flap has a terminal edge most distant from saidgenerally rectangular shape, said terminal edge having an extension edgeand two outer edges, said extension edge being of such dimension suchthat when said article is folded to wrap said package, said extensionedge overlaps said first flap a minimal distance while being largeenough to engage with said first fastening means and said outer edgesoverlaps said first flap a minimal distance.